EL-Hadji Diouf may be the man that most supporters cast as the pantomime villain but it's no wonder Sam Allardyce has stood by him.

A figure that is never far away from the headlines, the controversial Senegal international has been perceived to be the archetypal bad boy since he first arrived in England in the summer of 2002.

Liverpool lost patience with the man for whom they paid é10.6m after two wretched seasons at Anfield. A return of just six goals in 75 appearances was simply not good enough and officials were driven to distraction by his erratic antics.

Farmed out to Bolton at the beginning of the current campaign, the unpredictable Diouf could have found his stay at the Reebok cut short before Christmas after he grotesquely spat in the face of Portsmouth defender Arjen De Zeeuw.

Having been vilified by the nation and banned for three games, it would have been easy for Allardyce to march Diouf out of the Reebok exit door and wipe his hands of a man who threatened to bring shame on his club.

Allardyce, however, relishes the opportunity to create a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Though the 24-year-old has not always acted like a model professional - remember the dive that `won' a penalty at Ewood Park last month - he is rapidly turning into Bolton's talisman. Diouf was distraught when he was banned for that spat with De Zeeuw and felt his actions had cost Bolton dearly.

He has, however, vowed to make amends and he again came up trumps against Manchester City last night.

Returning from an ankle injury, his twisting, turning runs caused innumerable moments of panic for the tormented full-backs Danny Mills and David Sommeil and, crucially, he popped up with the goal that settled affairs just before half-time. That, amazingly, was his seventh goal of the season. But the aspect of Diouf's game that was most impressive was his ability to keep that suspect temper in check when it looked like bubbling over.

A number of offside decisions went against him and he was involved in nose-to-nose arguments with both Mills and Sommeil. Clearly, though, he is heeding Allardyce's words because those flare-ups were never allowed to develop.

"I think he has taken on board that he can't act like he did," Allardyce noted. "He got really upset but managed to control himself. He is managing to do that and he has made a big impact. We have missed him."

While Diouf was the match winner, Fernando Hierro also made an immense contribution to a victory that has thrust Bolton on to the tails of the clubs chasing a place in next season's Champions League.

If they are to achieve that ultimate prize, they will need a few more jack-in-the-box performances from ever colourful, oft-controversial El-Hadji Diouf.